Litanies of the Sabbat

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Litanies of the Sabbat

According to one account, on Wednesdays and Saturdays it was the custom to sing at the witches' sabbat the following litanies:

" Lucifer, Beelzebub, Leviathan, have pity on us. Baal, prince of the seraphim; Baalberith, prince of the cherubim; Astaroth, prince of the thrones; Rosier, prince of denominations; Carreau, prince of the powers; Belial, prince of the vertues; Perrier, prince of the principalities; Oliver, prince of the arch angels; Junier, prince of the angels; Sarcueil, Fume-bouche, Pierre-le-Feu, Carniveau, Terrier, Contellier, Candelier, Behemoth, Oilette, Belphegor, Sabathan, Garandier, Dolers, PierreFort, Axaphat, Prisier, Kakos, Lucesme, pray for us."

Satan was evoked in these litanies only in company with a crowd of other demons. Accounts of different sabbats vary and many litanies appear to have been merely anti-Christian parodies. This particular litany sounds more like an evocation of demons for a magical ritual than a celebration of a witchcraft sabbat.